Chongqing - From October 1 to 4, the 17th World Fire and Rescue Championship was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The Chinese team won fourth place in the group's total score, achieving the best result in Chinese history. Yang Dinghao, a Chongqing firefighter from the Special Service Detachment of Chongqing Fire and Rescue Corps, joined the competition.

The Chinese team won third place in the fire relay race 4×100 meters and combat deployment and sixth place in the 100-meter obstacle course. In the end, the Chinese team won fourth place in the total team score.

Without Fear

It was the first time Yang Dinghao, a post-aughts (the 00s) firefighter, joined the team to compete in the international competition known as the "Firefighter's Olympics." In the competition, firefighters and rescue workers from different countries compete together.

On October 2, Yang Dinghao participated in his first competition event, the 100-meter obstacle course. In an unfamiliar arena, in the face of elite opponents, standing on the starting line, Yang Dinghao felt unprecedented tension and pressure. There were shouts of cheer, but all he could hear was his breathing.

"The moment the starting gun went off, I felt relieved, and I was just thinking about how best I could make the next move," said Yang Dinghao. He rushed out of the starting line, climbed over the obstacle board, stepped on the wooden bridge, and connected the water separator with an irresistible force! 16.28 seconds! Yang Dinghao quickly crossed the finish line, and the whole set of movements went smoothly. He got the best result among the eight Chinese team members and, together with the team members, won sixth place in the 100-meter obstacle course for the Chinese team.

"In tomorrow's game, we should make our movements more perfect." Yang Dinghao did not dare to relax at all. He quickly adjusted his status and recalled his on-site experience.

On October 3, in the fire relay race 4×100 meters field, Yang Dinghao, the second runner, ran to the obstacle board like an arrow leaving the string after taking the relay baton, completed the crossing, sprinted, and handed over the relay baton to his teammates.

With the speed of chasing the wind, exquisite technique, and tacit cooperation, Yang Dinghao and the team members won third place in the fire relay race 4×100 meters, which is the best result in the history of the Chinese team in this event. They set a new record!

After several days of fierce competition, the Chinese team finished the championship with the fourth overall team score.

When he got the medal, Yang Dinghao was very excited. The wish of winning glory for the country finally came true, "To let the world witness the strength of China fire services. My four-month perseverance is worth it!" Yang added.

Not afraid of pain

In May this year, Yang Dinghao was selected for the training team for his outstanding comprehensive strength, competing for the last ten places with 70 players from all over the country.

"I dare not stop for a moment except to eat and sleep," Yang added. In addition to the regular schedule of 10 hours of training every day, Yang Dinghao does not slack off on the rest day every week. The fire relay race 4×100 meters are different from the 100-meter race. Climbing over the board barrier is the most unstable factor and the most critical link to open the gap. He practiced the crossing action repeatedly and realized the action's stability, accuracy, and speed.

No pain, no gain! Two months after entering the training team, Yang Dinghao's performance continued to rise, not only ranked at the forefront but also was selected as "the biggest progress star."

When the dream of competing for the country was closer, Yang Dinghao accidentally injured his groin and lumbar muscles during training of climbing the hook ladder after days of high-intensity training. After careful treatment by the professional medical team, the medical staff suggested that Yang Dinghao suspend the training of this project.

"This means I miss one chance, and I must do my best in other projects to avoid being eliminated!" said Yang. In the late stage of the training, Yang Dinghao had to endure great pain every time he ran because of the accumulated fluid in his knees and ankles, but he still went all out every time he trained.

In the final selection, Yang Dinghao got the "ticket" to enter the Chinese National team under his excellent comprehensive business skills and examination results. He fulfilled his dream on the international stage.

Yang Dinghao, 22 years old this year, has been fighting side by side with his teammates and has proved his progress every time with his achievements. For example, in the 2020 municipal fire rescue station competition, he won the championship of the internal attack fire fighting gymnastics team. In 2021, he won first place in the 4x100m relay of the headquarters and won the third class honors in two events.

"He is unyielding, resilient, and strong when meeting a strong opponent!" It is the evaluation of Yang Dinghao by the training cadres and coaches.

"There is a bigger and brighter stage waiting for him in life!" said the team members. They also look forward to Yang Dinghao maintaining this indomitable spirit, showing the high-spirited attitude of the new era "Flame Blue," and continuing his glory in the youth track!

(Chen Qian, as an intern, also contributed to the report.)